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'Unthinkable loss:' Fallen firefighter was 20-year veteran, father of five

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Updated: 10:58 PM CDT Mar 17, 2017

'Unthinkable loss:' Fallen firefighter was 20-year veteran, father of five

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Updated: 10:58 PM CDT Mar 17, 2017

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WEBVTT A FIRE DEPARTMENT, AN ENTIRECOMMUNITY IN MOURNING, AFTER THEDEATH OF A MUCH-LOVED WATERTOWNFIREFIGHTER.JOSEPH TOSCANO REMEMBERED FONDLYTONIGHT.THE FATHER OF 5 COLLAPSING WHILEBATTLING A FIRE THIS MORNING.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.I'M EMILY RIEMER.>> I'M ERIKA TARANTAL.HIS FAMILY SAYS THEY'REDEVASTATED.IN A STATEMENT JUST RELEASEDTHEY SAY IN PART "JOE'S WORKETHIC, GENEROSITYAND KINDNESSTOUCHED EVERYONE HE KNEW.THIS IS AN UNTHINKABLE LOSS FOOUR FAMILY.JOE'S LOVING SPIRIT WILL BE WITHUS FOREVER.THE 54-YEAR-OLD SERVED MORE THANTWO-DECADES AS A FIREFIGHTER.WE HAVE LIVE, TEAM COVERAGE FOYOU TONIGHT.WE BEGIN WITH NEWSCENTER FIVE'SJULIE LONCICH AT WATERTOWN FIREHEADQUARTERS.JULIE.>> IT'S DEVASTATING TOEVERYBODY BEHIND ME ANDEVERYBODY BEHIND THE BUILDING>> JOSEPH TOSCANO LEFTHEADQUARTERS FOR THE SECOND CALLOF THE DAY ON FRIDAY, AS HE HADCOUNTLESS TIMES DURING HIS 20PLUS YEAR CAREER.ONLY THIS TIME, HE WOULD NOT%RETURN>> WE WORKED TOGETHER EVERYDAY.>> AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF'SPERSONAL AID.FIREFIGHTER TOSCANO WAS HIS EYESAND EARS INSIDE THE MERRIFIELDAVENUE HOME FRIDAY AFTERNOONWHEN IT WENT TO TWO ALARMS>> HE WAS INSIDE, WORKING,INSIDE THE FIRE AREA,EXTINGUISHING AND OVERHAULINGWHEN HE COLLAPSED.>> FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS TRIED INVEIN TO SAVE HIS LIFE, BUT THE54-YEAR-OLD FATHER AND HUSBANDPASSED AWAY AT MT. AUBURNHOSPITAL AFTER AN APPARENTMEDICAL EPISOD>> THE FAMILY TOOK THE NEWSTERRIBLY.I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL WHEN THEYARRIVED AND IT WAS DEVASTATINGWHEN HIS FIVE KIDS CAME INTO THEROOM AND HIS WIFE.>> THEY ALL LOST, THEY LOST THEBIGGEST THING IN THEIR LIVESHE WAS ALSO THE FIREHOUSE COOKAND A MAN WHO GAVE HIS FRIENDSAND COLLEAGUES A GOOD LAUGH.>> HE DID NOT LIKE CORNED BEEFAND CABBAGE, HE WOULD NOT COOKIT.>> ON EVEN THE MOST DIFFICULT OFDAYS>> A TRUE, TRUE GENTLEMAN. THEGUY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU.THE GUY HAD A HEART OFGOLD.HE GOING TO BE MISSED.>> LIVE IN WATERTOWN, WCVBNEWSCENTER 5.>> JULIE, THANK YOU.GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER RELEASEDA STATEMENT EARLIER TONIGHTSAYI"OUR COMMONWEALTH IS GRATEFULFOR THE INCREDIBLE SERVICE ANDDEDICATION OF OUR FIRSTRESPONDERS WHO GO ABOVE ANDBEYOND TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIESSAFE AND I AM HEARTBROKEN TOLEARN OF THE LOSS OF FIREFIGHTERTOSCANO.""MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AREWITH HIS FAMILY, LOVED ONES ANDTHE WATERTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENTDURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.">> JOSEPH TOSCANO AND HISFAMILY LIVED IN THE TOWN OFRANDOLPH.OUR JOHN ATWATER IS LIVE AS HISFRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS REMEMBERHIM THERE.JOHNJOHN: ERIKA, THEY ARE HERE TOCOMFORT HIS WIFE AND HIS FIVECHILDREN>> I LOVED HIM A LOT.I LOVE THEIR FAMILY, AND I AM SOSORRY THAT THIS HAPPENED, ANDI -- PI AM GOING TO CRY.AM SORRY.REPORTER: A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRLOVERCOME WITH EMOTION AFTERLEARNING HER FRIEND'S DAD IS NOTCOMING HOME.>> HE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE A SMILEON HIS FACE.HE WAS SO NICE AND CARING AND,THIS IS, THIS IS SUCH A SHOCK.>> AT WORK IN WATERTOWN, JOE WASDEDICATED FIREFIGHTER, DEVOTEDTO SAVING LIVES.AT HOME IN RANDOLPH, HE WASLOVING HUSBAND AND FATHERRAISING FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN.>> HE WALLS WITH THE KIDS,PLAYING WITH THE KIDS ALL THETIME.HE ALWAYS IS SMILING ANDLAUGHING WITH THE KIDS.I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTERNEIGHBOR A BETTER GOY HAVE ASNEIGHBOR.I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.AM DEVASTATED.REPORTER: THE LOSS HAS SHACK INTHE NEIGHBORHOOD.FRIENDS SAY HE WAS MAGNET HERE,DRAWIN PEOPLE TOGETHER.EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW HIS JOBWAS DANGEROUS, THEY NEVERIMAGINED THEY WOULD WITH BEHONORING HIS SACRIFICE.>> YOU EXPECT TO GO TO WORK ASFIREFIGHTERS.MOST DAYS THEY DON'T ARE TO DOANYTHING.IT IS A DANGEROUS JOB.THIS SHOWS IT.IT IS CLEAR, THIS FAMILY HAD ALOT OF FRIENDS IN THENEIGHBORHOOD.THE NEIGHBORS NOW HERE TOSUPPORT THEM.

'Unthinkable loss:' Fallen firefighter was 20-year veteran, father of five

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Updated: 10:58 PM CDT Mar 17, 2017

WATERTOWN, Mass. —

A Massachusetts family is mourning the loss of a beloved husband, father, craftsman, chef and firefighter who died Friday.